The training program is through the Department of Pathology of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. There are 2 main sites for the fellowship training, including the tertiary care, multi-specialty hospital, UPMC Presbyterian-Shadyside, and the specialty women's hospital, Magee-Women's Hospital (MWH).
UPMC Presbyterian - Shadyside
The fellowship rotation at UPMC Presbyterian-Shadyside primarily focuses on Non-gynecologic Cytopathology. Integration of knowledge and experience from other disciplines (especially surgical pathology, hematopathology, microbiology, and molecular diagnostics) is emphasized. This is an adult, tertiary care, multi-specialty hospital and the Department of Pathology provides service to all specialty clinical disciplines represented. There are approximately 26 anatomic pathologists, of whom 5-10 have subspecialty certification in Cytopathology by the American Board of Pathology.
The UPMC Presbyterian-Shadyside Department of Pathology handles about 50,000 surgical pathology cases, 4,000 intraoperative consultations, and 12,000 cytopathology cases. Daily signout is performed with the Faculty member on the cytopathology service. The fellow on service reviews and documents his/her opinion on the cases each day and evaluates the following points 1) screening adequacy, 2) interpretation of the findings, 3) clinical significance.
Furthermore, the Department participates in Fine Needle Aspirations in three settings - in clinic by clinicians, by radiologists, and by pathologists. Our fellows are integrally involved in the following:
- Evaluation of specimens obtained by Radiologists (CT, US, Mammogram).
- FNA directed by Cytopathologist (on superficial palpable lesions).
- Participating in FNA procedures in Otolaryngology Clinic in cooperation with the ENT faculty and housestaff.
UPMC Magee-Women's Hospital
This training rotation is in the Department of Pathology at Magee-Women's Hospital (MWH) of the UPMC Health System. This tertiary care specialty women's hospital is the primary training site for all clinical specialty training in women's health and is among the most competitive nationally for training programs in Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences. The Pathology Department at Magee-Women's Hospital is the primary site for anatomical pathology training in women's health including gynecological pathology, gynecological oncology, breast pathology, cytopathology, sexually transmitted diseases, reproductive endocrinology, and developmental pathology including perinatal pathology.
The MWH Department of Pathology has 10 anatomical pathologists, 5 with subspecialty certification in Cytology, and handles 20,000 surgicals, 110,000 Pap smears, 3,500 non-gynecological cytology cases, and 100 perinatal autopsies. The surgical pathology material includes over 500 new breast cancer cases, and over 400 new gynecological oncology cases per year. Gynecological pathology cases include vagina, cervix, endometrium, fallopian tube and ovary. The perinatal program serves an obstetrical service of over 9,000 deliveries per annum. In addition, the cytopathology fellows work with GMT III through GMT V residents of the general residency program during their one to two month cytology rotation at MWH.